The Dutch national spatial planning system is increasingly dealing with wicked multi-layered spatial challenges, also known as integral challenges. This development has led to a transition in the current national spatial planning system by means of the new Environment and Planning Act, which aims to work in a multi-level governance manner. One of the law’s instruments is the National Strategy on Spatial Planning and the Environment (NOVI), which identifies frameworks for a national spatial long-term vision. Design research is suitable for addressing these wicked integral challenges, and has two types; the inspiring design-type and the clarifying research-type. Both have distinct design processes, outcomes and contributions to policy. The first type, the design-type, is characterized by an incremental, experimental, solution-oriented and multidisciplinary process that focuses on reducing complexity. This form delivers a detailed master plan in order to inspire and give high abstract issues an realistic and tangible content. The second type, the research-type, is characterized by an iterative, problem-oriented, and interdisciplinary design process, which delivers an adaptive framework for decision-making processes by clarifying the issues and challenges. At the same time, it can function as inspiration as well. Both approaches offer distinct benefits and their application is situation dependent. The research-type contributes to achieving a higher degree of integrality, assessed on the topics of function, time, scale, and interest integration. The research-type is also effective when applied within an abstract question within spatial planning to clarify challenges, such as within the NOVI. The design-type, on the other hand, can be effective within context-specific questions, such as within Regional Agendas, for providing an inspiring and innovative image using multiple directional solutions. Nonetheless, design research is most effective when both types are used, with the focus on one or the other.